Gas-engine timer



May 27 1924.

1,495,767 B. E. BOWLESY GAS ENGINE TIMER Filed July 13, 1920 avwewtoz f rm z 1i K Z Patented May 27, 1924.

UNITED STATES 1,495,767 PATENT OFFICE.

BYRON E. BOWLES, or OMAHA, iv'EimAsitA.

GAS-ENGINE TIMER;

Application filed July 13, 1920. Serial No. 395,888.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that BYRON E. Bownns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Engine Timers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

The invention relates to timing devices for internal combustion engines, and has for its object to provide a device of this character which will be strong and durable and will be of a wiper type so that the timer will be positive in its operation and short circuits obviated. Also to provide a timer which will not need oiling and will have all of its connections enclosed in a casing, thereby eliminating the common difficulty of oil getting on the wires and causing short circuits.

A further object is to provide a timer comprising a bevelled insulating member carried by the cam shaft said bevelled memher being provided with a spring actuated contact member, which contacts with a frusto conically shaped depression in a casing carried insulating member, which frusto conically shaped depressions are provided with flush contact members spaced from each other and adapted to be contacted with by the actuated contact member for making various circuits.

l/Vith the above and other objects in view, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings, described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of the timer.

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the timer.

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a view looking into the disc carrying the contacts showing the same with the cam shaft and distributer removed.

Figure 5 is a front elevation of the distributer.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a cam shaft, to which cam shaft is secured by means of a pin 2, a metallic bushing 3, the rear end of which bushing is provided with a flange 4. Disposed on the bushing 3 is a distributer 5 formed from insulating material, said distributer is frusto conically shaped and is held in position on the bushing3 by means of screws 6. Distributer 5 is provided with a cylindrical aperture 7, in which aperture a carbon brush 8 is disposed. Carbon brush 8 is normally held outwardly by means of a coiled spring 9. Extending around the distributer 5 is an insulated disc 10, which disc has a centrally disposed aperture 11, through which the bushing 3 and cam shaft 1 extend. Aperture 11 merges into a frusto conically shaped portion 12, the wall of which is angled at the same angle as the periphery of the distributer 5, however the frusto conically shaped portion 12 has its wall slightly spaced from the periphery of the distributer 5. Disposed in the disc are contact members 13, which members are threaded so as to allow adjustment outwardly to take up wear, and with which members 13 the carbon brush 8 contacts during the rotation of the cam shaft and distributer 5 so that sparking circuits may be intermittently opened and closed through the threaded contact posts 14, to the outer ends of which posts, wires 15 are connected. Threaded posts l l also form means for locking and holding the contact members 13 in position, as well as foming means for terminals for the wires 15.

Secured to the outer periphery of the disc 10 by means of screws 16 is a casing 17, which casing encloses the structure and protects the same from oil and dirt. The wires 15 pass through the casing 17 as at 18 and through an insulating member 19, which insulating member prevents any possibility of short circuiting in the casing. Extending upwardly from the flange 20 of the easing 17 is an arm 21, to which arm any conventional form of controlling means may be connected for rocking the casing and disc so as to advance or retard the spark.

From the above it will be seen that a timer for internal combustion engines is provided, which timer is positive in its operation and employs the wiper principle of contact thereby eliminating the use of oil and consequent timer troubles, caused by short circuit. \Vires 15 lead to battery and the ground is through the cam shaft 1, flange 4 of the bushing 3, spring 9 and carbon brush 8, the timer being adaptable to any ignition system, it being understood that the number of 7 shaped depression in which the distributer is disposed, a plurality of contact members in the discand substantially flush with the frusto conically shaped depression therein,

means for adjusting said contact members in the disc, set screws for holding said last namedcontacts in adjusted positions, said set screws extending angularly into recesses in the inner ends of the contact members and engaging said contact members to one side of the axis thereof and preventingretrograde movement of the contact members, a spring actuated brush carried by the frusto conically shaped distributer and so posi-' tioned that as the distributer rotates it will engage the contact members of the disc, said distributer being carried by a cam shaft, and means for rocking the disc for advancing or retarding the time of contact of the brush and disc carried contacts.

In testimony whereof 'I' hereunto afiix my BYRON n. BoWLEs.

signature. 

